Straining and stem holding structure



Aug. 25, 1959 E. s. TUPPER 2,900,760

STRAINING AND STEM HOLDING STRUCTURE Filed April 17, 1956 2Sheets-Sheeti INVENTOR. j E'QRL 6- T PPER BY I fil -mag) Aug. 25, 1959E. s. TUPPER STRAINING AND STEM HOLDING STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledApril 17, 1956 INVENTOR. Ens s. TUPPER STRAINING AND STEM HOLDINGSTRUCTURE Application April 17, 1956, Serial N0. 578,656

6 Claims. (Cl. 41-41 This invention relates to straining and sittingstructures also capable of serving as holders for stemmed articles.

An object of the invention resides in the provision of a unit capable ofinterengagement with similar units for the aforementioned service; eachunit having a perforated portion adapted to function as straining,sieving and holding elements such as for fluids, comminuted solids andfor the stalks of flowers and other articles having stems capable ofpenetration through said perforated portions.

A further object of the invention resides in the structure of one ofsuch units provided with a peripheral engaging edge and also an adjacentand inwardly disposed annular wall removably engageable with theengaging edge of a superposing similar unit of proportional and smallerdimensions.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a unit toserve as a cover member for the uppermost unit, and being of the samestructure except for the elimination of the annular wall of the otherunits.

Another feature of the invention resides in the use of any of such unitsindependently or in interengagement with each other; said unit orplurality of units also being capable of interengagement with the rim ofa holding vessel.

A further feature of the invention resides in the formation of thestructure described from a suitable plastic having flexible ordeformable characteristics, being inert chemically, odorless and capableof sealable juncture of the component units and with a holding vessel.It has been found that polyethylene has been the most suitable plasticfor purposes of the invention, but other plastics will also function.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages of the inventionwill hereinafter appear in the progress of the disclosure and as pointedout in the appended claims.

Accompanying this specification are drawings showing illustrative formsof the invention wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a form of integrated structureshowing a plurality of graded straining and/or stem holding units ininterengagement, the uppermost unit having a closure unit in partiallyopen position, the lowermost unit being in engagement with a holdingvessel. 1

Figure 2 is a sectional view of Figure 1 across the plane 2--2 thereof.

Figure 3 is a view in perspective showing the structure of Figure 1 inuse as a flour sifter.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective partly in section showing the use ofthe bottom or an intermediate unit applied to a vessel containing liquidand solid contents for purposes of straining the contents, the annularside wall of the unit serving as an annular pouring lip.

Figure 5 is an elevational view partly in section States atent 2,900,760Patented Aug. 25, 1959 showing the use of a plurality of interengagedunits including a top closure member or unit, said structure serving asa holder for the stems of flowers.

In accordance with the invention and the preferred forms shown, numeral10 indicates generally a holding type of vessel to which one or more ofthe inter-engageable units are applicable.

The top closure unit generally indicated by numeral 11 consists of ahorizontal wall 12 having straining or stem holding perforations 13intermediate thereof, the said wall 12 preferably having an upwardlyextending and inverted grooved peripheral edge. Such edge is shown ashaving an inclined side wall 14, a top wall 15 and a spaced and moresturdy or thickened outer wall 16. Outer wall 16 is preferably inwardlyinclined on the inner face to effectuate sealing engagement with avessel or complementary unit wall as will hereinafter appear. Outer wall16 of the grooved edge has a finger engageable horizontal flange 17 atthe lower end thereof, said flange terminating in a downwardly extendingannular supporting base 18. The closure unit 11 may serve independently,as a covering for a plurality of interengaging intermediate units, or asa covering for vessel 10.

The other units of the interengaging structure are similarlyproportioned and of diflerent over-all dimensions and vary from theclosure unit 11 by an upwardly projecting annular or continuous wall.

Thus, as in the structure of closure unit 11, an uppermost intermediateunit of larger over-all dimensions for interengagement has a horizontalwall 12a, perforations 13a, a grooved inverted edge having an inner wall14a, a top wall 15a, a spaced outer wall 16a, an outwardly extendingflange at the bottom thereof 17a and a downwardly extending annular baseportion 18a. However, as a differentiation with respect to closuremember 11, horizontal wall 12a is provided with an upwardly projectingand continuous side wall 20a disposed adjacent the bottom of inner edgeWall 1411, the upper portion as shown being outwardly flared forscalable engagement with the grooved edge of a superposing unit. Thus,wall 20a is at least engaged by the top and side walls 15 and 16 of thegrooved edge of closure member 11 as shown in Figures 2 and 4.

Another similar underlying member but of larger over-all dimensions isshown as having a horizontal wall 12b, perforations 13b, a grooved edgehaving inner wall 14b, a top wall 15b, a spaced outer wall 16b, a

horizontal flange 17b and a downwardly extending an- I nular baseportion 18b and a continuous upwardly projecting side wall 19b adjacentthe bottom of edge inner wall 14b. Side wall 19b is shown as beingengaged by the top and side walls 15a and 16a of the superposing unit.

As seen in Figure 5, the interengagement of the units described providesperforations 13, 13a and 13b to mount stalks 2 1 containing exposedflowers 22 in staggered openings for a tighter grasp. Here the structurerests on annular base 17b of the lowermost unit.

Of course, a single unit may be used in conjunction with vessel 10 asshown in Figure 4 illustrating pouring of lemonade 27 in a vessel A andserving to strain pits or lemon wedges 28. It is preferable that one ofthe units having the projecting continuous side wall such as 19a be usedinstead of closure unit 11 because a pouring rim is thereby provided. Asshown, vessel 10 has a curved portion 25 disposed below the flared rim26 of the vessel for leverage finger support for applying and removingthe engaging unit.

It is to be observed that the structure of Figure 5 is also applicableto vessel 10 as shown in Figure 3 to serve as a sifter for flour or thelike. Efficiency is increased by a three-step sifting operation. Vesselas shown has a side wall 23 a bottom peripheral bead 29 and a raisedbottom wall 30. There may be a series of buttress members 31 between theunderside of the flange 24-25 and the side Wall 23 for giving rigidityto the support of the flange.

When the units are interengaged as shown in Figure 3, the device isusable as an efficient sifter for introducing flour into a bowl 32 froma flour package 33.

The combinations of Figures 1 and 4 may also be used as a flower standwith the stem bottoms immersed in the vessel 10 containing water.

I wish it understood that minor changes and variations in the material,structure, single and plural interengaging use of the units with andwithout a vessel may all be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A perforated yieldable plastic closure for a vessel wall forstraining vessel contents and for aligning penetrating stalked articlessupported in the vessel, comprising a central perforated wall, anupwardly extending, inverted and grooved engaging edge for said vesselwall, said edge having an inner wall, a top wall, a thickened outer wallspaced from the inner wall, a horizontal flange extending outwardly fromthe lower end of said outer wall for finger engagement to spread saidgrooved engaging edge for removal from said vessel wall, said centralperforated wall having an upwardly extending continuous wall projectingabove the edge top wall and disposed adjacent the bottom of the edgeinner wall adapted for engagement of another similar closure.

2. A perforated yieldable plastic closure for a vessel wall forstraining vessel contents and for aligning penetrating stalked articlessupported in the vessel, comprising a horizontal wall having a centralperforated portion, a peripheral engaging rim depending from theperiphery of said horizontal wall and engageable with the vessel wallhaving an outwardly extending finger engageable flange at the lower endthereof, said horizontal wall adjacent the rim having a verticallyprojecting continuous wall adapted for engagement of another similarclosure.

3. In a plastic flower stand, structure including a plurality of spaced,perforated horizontal and parallel wall members of graded over-allsizes, each of said wall members having an upwardly projectingcontinuous side wall and an outer peripheral engaging edge flangeprojecting downwardly for removable, frictional and telescopic sealingengagement with the side wall of the lower horizontal wall member.

4. In a plastic flower stand, structure as set forth in claim 3 having aclosure member for the uppermost horizontal wall member and provided'with a perforated horizontal wall and a peripheral engaging edge flangeprojecting downwardly to removably and telescopically engage thecontinuous side Wall of the uppermost horizontal wall. member.

5. In a plastic sifter structure for comminuted products including aholding vessel, a plurality of spaced perforated horizontal and parallelWall members of overall graded sizes, each of said wall members havingan upwardly projecting continuous side wall and an outer peripheralengaging edge flange projecting downwardly for removable, frictional andtelescopic sealing engagement with the sidewall of the lower horizontalwall member, the peripheral engaging flange edge of the lowermosthorizontal wall member being removably engageable with said vessel.

6. In a plastic sifter structure as set forth in claim 5 having aclosure member for the uppermost horizontal wall member, said closuremember being provided with a perforated horizontal wall, a continuousand downwardly projecting engaging edge flange to removably engage thecontinuous side wall of the underlying horizontal wall member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,060,970 Brown May 6, 1913 1,706,249 Naum Mar. 19, 1929 1,778,150Freeburg Oct. 14, 1930 2,146,173 Cooper Feb. 7, 1939 2,266,270 Roth Dec.16, 1941 2,278,894 Paulson Apr. 7, 1942 2,695,115 Roop Nov. 23, 1954FOREIGN PATENTS 104,432 Great Britain Mar. 8, 1917

